Arch Homes and Support Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 1 Arch Homes and Support Ltd Registered provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service can accommodate up to 35 children in total. This includes one self-contained premises for the sole purpose of individual children and 10 shared or group-living premises that are not limited to accommodating looked-after children and care leavers.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, 14 looked-after children aged 16 and 17 were being accommodated.

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provider

The service manager and nominated individual is the same person and has been registered with Ofsted since 19 April 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 9 March 2026 and started that day. The inspector was on site on 11 and 12 March 2026.

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Outcome

Inconsistent quality of service delivery adversely affects some children’s experiences, and this may limit their progress. Leaders and managers must make improvements. The next inspection will be within approximately 18 months.

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Summary of findings

Children’s experiences and progress within the setting are inconsistent. While some children speak positively about their time in placement, others express dissatisfaction.

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Summary of findings

The accommodation is not consistently well maintained, which can affect children’s sense of stability and self-worth. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 2 Leaders and managers now admit children in line with their statement of purpose. They assess each child’s needs and risks and consider the needs of those children already living there. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Some children make good progress. Most children report feeling happy and safe in their homes. They are positive about the support they receive from staff. Some children say they are not happy with the support and their accommodation. Children’s experiences and progress are inconsistent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children develop practical skills for independent living with support from staff. They learn to cook, clean and manage money. However, children are not always supported to take age-appropriate risks. For example, staff lock kitchen knives away and children must ask if they can use them. This limits children’s ability to prepare for living on their own.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Leaders and managers ask children for their views to improve the service. They do this through surveys. Some children take part in house meetings. However, children are not consulted with changes to the young person’s guide. The guide is not child friendly and does not consider needs such as culture and disability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff help children to engage in education, training and employment. They encourage activities like going to the gym, football and driving lessons. However, some children are not ready to take part in learning. This limits their chances for growth and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. They help them become familiar with their new home and area. Staff respect each child’s culture and faith. This approach supports children to feel safe and respected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Social workers are positive about the support children get from staff. They help children with their health, emotions, independence and sense of identity. They send social workers monthly reports. Social workers say the information is clearer now and arrives on time. Staff are supportive and treat children with respect.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers have recently made format changes to children’s plans. However, they do not make sure that staff update children’s plans after incidents. For one child, there are concerns about the risk of child criminal exploitation. Their safety plan does not include a current concern about them having a knife. This means that staff may not have the most accurate information to keep children safe.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers do not always ensure that children’s accommodation is well maintained. Some areas are not homely or welcoming. One home requires Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 4 redecoration and the carpets have visible paint stains. A child raised a concern about the standard of accommodation and that the house does not feel like a home.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers do not make sure they operate in line with fire safety requirements. They did not act on a recommendation from an independent fire risk assessment from over 6 months ago. This was to fit automatic door-closing mechanisms. One accommodation had no heat alarm in the kitchen. This reduces children’s safety and security.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff understand the procedure when children go missing from their home. They check on children’s wellbeing by phone and contact family and friends. They inform the police and the local authority. Most children receive return home interviews. For one child, staff stayed in contact with them, but it was not known where they were. This was not reported to the police and the child returned home several hours later.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff help children to stay healthy. They register children with doctors, dentists and opticians. They go with children to appointments when needed. Staff build children’s confidence to manage their own health needs.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers recruit staff with relevant experience. They follow safer recruitment processes. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not maintain their oversight of the service. They have an audit system, but it is not yet fully implemented. They do not identify inconsistencies in children’s records. One child’s safety plan has mixed information about their risk of going missing from their home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not keep a summary of complaints and the actions taken. The registered manager was unaware about a neighbour’s complaint at one accommodation, even though a member of staff had responded to them. This lack of oversight by managers means that lessons may not be learned from concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have made changes to their admission processes. They make sure children are ready for supported accommodation before they move in. They assess each child’s needs and risks and consider the needs of those children already living there. However, these processes are newly implemented and the impact of this is not yet fully evident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers hold regular supervision with staff. Team meetings take place and staff keep their learning up to date. Appraisals are in place for staff. The Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 5 workforce plan now covers relevant information about staffing processes. Staff say they feel supported. They feel the communication has improved within the organisation. This helps them support children better.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers carry out reviews regarding the quality of support that children receive. They ask children, staff and partner agencies for their views. This gives them a clear sense of what works and what must improve. It helps the service grow and strengthens the support for children. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose; (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s safety plans reflect children’s needs accurately and are updated immediately following any incidents. 26 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

have their individual needs met; 26 April 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 7 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

are familiar and act in accordance with child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with children to help them understand how to keep safe, by offering guidance and support on how to minimise any potential risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies, and share information where relevant to keep children safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the relevant roles and responsibilities assigned to them by the registered person in relation to protecting children. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(f)(i)(iii)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are adequately maintained so as to provide a welcoming and homely environment

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Requirement Due date

within both individual and shared living spaces;

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Requirement Due date

comply with all relevant statutory provisions dealing with health and safety or fire safety matters. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(viii)(x)) 26 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide to the CIECSS upon request a statement containing a summary of any complaints or representations made during the 12 months preceding the date of the request and the action that was taken in response to each complaint or representation. (Regulation 31 (5)) 26 April 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 8

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted prior to making any changes to the young person’s guide, that it is understood by each child and takes into account culture and disability. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 42-43)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 9

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 60a Hinckley Road, Leicester LE3 0RB

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Desmond Frimpong

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Inspector

Amanda Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Arch Homes and Support Ltd 10 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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